Change of Heart?
by Andovia212
Summary: It's been years since the Battle of Hogwarts and everybody's favorite cousin is in prison. What will occur when Harry visits him? I don't own Harry Potter!


A room to visit prisoners in Surrey, 4 years after the battle at Hogwarts. Dudley was arrested a year after for theft and was sentenced to 5 years as long as good behavior prevailed.

Harry finishes being cleared and walks over to the table his cousin is at. They shake hands and Harry sits down, followed by a short silence.

"How's my mum?" Dudley asks him. Harry thought over his last visit to Aunt Petunia. She had been no better than any of the other times. Uncle Vernon had gone into shock and heart failure when they learned Dudley was arrested for stealing. Aunt Petunia had simply gone mad.

"Not much better. She still thought I was you until I told her it was me." Dudley put his face in his hands.

"It's all my fault. I'm so stupid. I pretty much killed my father and drove my mum to a breaking point. If only that thing had-" He began again. Dudley had been saying the first part every time Harry came to visit but this was the first he had let the rest of his thought slip. Harry knew exactly what he had been about to add and was mad at Dudley for the first time in a while.

"No. Things would be worse now if that dementor had Kissed you. I probably would've been kicked out by your parents then probably killed by Voldemort since I didn't know the Prophecy. Then a lot more people would be dead including the three of you. Some life is better then no life. Your mum may be mad but she is happy. She doesn't know when she is so she can believe she is happy and you'll get out of her at some time. Your dad may not be here anymore but he had four more years than he would've had if you had been Kissed."

"But-" Dudley began to argue but he stopped. He knew Harry was right so he simply changed the direction of the conversation. "So, how is your life going?"

"Fine. Ginny and I are going to bring Aunt Petunia with us next weekend to see a play," Harry said, then added with a wink,"usual Muggle stuff." He had told Dudley about Ginny a year ago when Dudley had asked (awkwardly wanting conversation) if Harry had a girlfriend. It was then that Harry opened up to Dudley a bit more and Dudley to him. Their relationship had grown some.

"Thank you, Harry. Neither of us deserve the amount of care you give us considering how we treated you all those years."

"You're family. The only blood-relatives I've got left. I should be having some more relatives soon though."

"What? Wait, you're going to-?" He left the question in midair.

"Yes. I believe she'll say yes. I've decided to propose in the Muggle way at the theatre then I'll propose the way 'my lot' do later. I think your mum'll like it."

"The way is different for your people?"

"Not much different but yes. Our way requires a little-" he carefully showed Dudley his wand slightly.

"Ah," he simply replied. "Cho stopped by the other day," he added to change the subject away from that world. Cho Chang had been going with Dudley (shocking, right?) when he had been arrested and she had stayed with him to everyone's surprise. She visited every day she could except the days Harry came.

"How did it go?"

"Interestingly. She found out something that makes me wish I could be out of here sooner than 2 years from now."

"What's that?" Harry was really curious that Dudley had even brought her up. They rarely talked about each other's girlfriends.

"You know that break they gave me 3 months ago where I got to visit her at home for a night?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Well, because of that night, you're going to be a second cousin."

"What?! That's... Incredible. Wow, um. I would definitely say that is interesting visit. Congratulations."

"Thanks. I really do wish I could be out sooner so I could be with her and even just marry her. You know I proposed to her that night but we can't settle down until I'm out," he sighed with his finish then changed the subject again. "So, how's Teddy?" Harry had told Dudley, Aunt Petunia, and Uncle Vernon about his Godson the next time he saw then after the battle and needed a topic for their slow conversation.

"He's great. I'm at Adromendra's most days to help her or have him with me at Molly's or Ginny's."

"Hair still turquoise?"

Harry laughed. "Most of the time. He's like his mother that way. Her favorite was pink."

"Has he shown any of his dog?" Dudley asked hesitantly. Harry had told him about Lupin being a werewolf and their worries of Teddy. This was his code way of asking Harry about this.

"No more than Bill." Harry had told Dudley a lot about the magic world since he knew he could trust him now. Just then, the timer beeped meaning they had a minute left for visitation.

They stood and shook hands. "Well, I'll be back in a few weeks. Congratulations again about you and Cho." Harry said and turned around to walk out. He stopped though and faced Dudley again. "I-" he started to add but Dudley said the words for him without thinking to.

They looked away, embarrassed. Then Harry turned again and left. He made his way out, still thinking of the words Dudley had said. He made it out and went to his safe point to Disapparate. The last thoughts that went through his head before the pressing darkness were the words Dudley had said and he almost said. That was the first time.

He'd said I love you.


End file.
